Thaindian News

Puttaparthi (Andhra Pradesh), April 5 (IANS) Spiritual leader Sathya Sai Baba is showing signs of improvement and all vital organs, except his kidneys, are functioning normally, doctors attending on him said Tuesday as devotees flocked to this town and authorities banned gathering of more than five people to prevent trouble.

Andhra Pradesh Minister for Major Industries J. Geeta Reddy, who has been camping in this town for the past three days, said Sathya Sai Baba was opening his eyes and moving his hands.

“He is showing signs of recovery. The doctors are satisfied with the progress. We hope and pray that Baba returns amidst his devotees,” said Geeta Reddy, herself a physician and an ardent devotee of the godman.

While the director of Sathya Sai Super Speciality Hospital said in the morning that his condition remain unchanged, a doctor told reporters in the afternoon that he was gradually improving.

Dr Ashok, one of the doctors attending, the spiritual guru no longer had breathing problems. He said all vital parameters, including blood pressure and temperature, were stable and blood circulation normal.

“Only the kidney function has to improve and for this we are continuing CRRT (continuous renal replacement therapy),” Ashok added.

A medical bulletin from the hospital said Sathya Sai Baba continued to be in the same condition as Monday.

“However, his level of consciousness has considerably improved. His vital systems are in stable condition. He still continues to be on assisted ventilation through ventilator and CRRT, which is a slow dialysis process, continues to assist his kidneys,” said hospital director A.N. Safaya in a statement.

Hundreds of policemen were deployed outside the hospital to keep devotees from milling around and banned gathering of more than five people.

The road leading to the hospital has been sealed to meet any eventuality as large number of devotees continued to pour in from different parts of Andhra Pradesh and other states.

In Hyderabad, Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy held a meeting with his cabinet colleagues and senior officials to review the situation.

He sent Health Secretary P.V. Ramesh and another senior official to Puttaparthi, in Anantapur district bordering Karnataka, to help in providing all necessary medical assistance to the spiritual guru.

On Monday evening, doctors had said his condition was critical.

As the restive crowd of devotees tried to barge into the hospital and attacked vehicles of some senior officials, the hospital issued a statement late in the night to pacify them.

As the news of Sathya Sai Baba’s critical condition spread like wild fire, his devotees began gathering outside the hospital. Some stoned the car of Anantapur district collector Janardhan Reddy.

Anticipating more trouble, a police official announced over the public address system that the guru was stable and there was no cause for any anxiety.

He also quoted Sathya Sai Baba’s nephew Sharavan to say that the godman opened his eyes and moved his fingers when he went inside and touched his feet.

The 85-year-old spiritual leader was admitted to the hospital March 28 with pneumonia and breathing problems. The doctors also implanted a pacemaker to regulate his heartbeat.

Sathya Sai Baba, whose real name is Sathyanarayana Raju, had claimed in 1940 that he was an avatar, an incarnation, of god.

He became famous with his miracles but for the last two decades has been focusing on social and charitable work in India and abroad.